


The Art Of Taking Advice

by Corvus_Aconitum



Category: Grimm
Genre: Again, Caring Rosalee Wu and Renard, Gen, Humour, Nick being stubborn, a bit of cursing, another cold from hell, because he's adorable when he is, wesen remedies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-22
Updated: 2016-10-22
Packaged: 2018-08-23 23:48:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8347600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Corvus_Aconitum/pseuds/Corvus_Aconitum
Summary: Driving under the influence of cough syrup is not always a smart idea. Add to it that it is a wesen kind of cough remedy and you get an explosive mix. It's a good thing, then, that Nick has friends and colleagues that take care of him even if he is stubborn... again... as always when he gets sick.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Well, what can I say? I am battling a cold myself right now and as my nose is just feeling like it has doubled size recently I thought it a nice distraction to write this....  
> Although I seldom need an excuse for writing Nick Whump. ;)  
> Sorry, for any mistakes, my head is a tiny bit muddled right now.

 

The Art Of Taking Advice

Nick Burckhardt is currently driving trough Portland and, though he is trying to ignore that, he's dryly coughing more often than not. That one is persistent, most annoying and it goes along with an evil bout of a head cold. Nonetheless he hits speed dial on his phone before putting it on speaker.  
There's a click indicating the other end of the line opening.  
“Hey, Rosalee. I'll be 'round in a few minutes to drop off that book you wanted.”  
“Hi, Nick. What happened to you? You sound congested?”  
“Yeah, well. It's no big deal. Just came down with a cold. I'll stop by on my way from precinct and then I'll head home.”  
“You worked like that?”  
He can very well imagine the eye-roll accompanied by an expression somewhere between exasperation and concern for him.  
“I take it you are being stubborn again, then?” A bit of mirth enters her voice, softening the disapproving tone.  
“I like to call it work-orientated”  
“Call it what you want, I'll have something ready for you when you come here and then you're going home for a whole lot of rest.”  
“Yes, mom....” The rest is drowned in a coughing fit.  
“Nick!?!”  
“No... no big....”  
“Don't you dare call this 'no big deal'! You are the most stubborn Grimm I know.”  
“I am the only Grimm you know and Monroe is rubbing off on you.”  
“Well, I certainly understand him better now.”  
“I love you, too, Rosie. I'll be there in a minute.”  
The fuchsbau can only shake her head at her best friend.

>>>

“Here, Nick. It's a cough remedy. Knowing you, I somehow get the impression that you would like to get well rather sooner than later, so you get the wesen variant. But be careful. It's quite strong, so get home first before you take it.”  
“Thank you. You are a life saver.”  
“Don't thank me until after you've taken it.”  
She says it with a mischievous glint in her warm brown eyes.  
“I have to be off now. Give Monroe a manly hug from me when he comes by later. I'm sure he'll appreciate it.”  
Rosalee laughs.  
“Oh yes, he's so fond of manly hugs... or hugs of any kind.”  
Nick ignores her sarcasm, grins and makes his way out of the Spice Shop.

>>>

Portland's resident Grimm is on his way home – honestly intent on getting there and taking a bit of rest – when his phone rings.  
It's Wu.  
“Hey, Wu....” The rest is swallowed by another coughing fit but he simply tunes out the Sergeant's good natured ribbing about his very persistent cough from hell that reappears at the worst of moments.  
“... Where were we?... Oh, yeah, what have you got for me?”  
“Other than some sound advice on how you shouldn't handle a cold? By the way, are you driving like that, man?”  
“Yes and yes. And I would appreciate, if you skipped the advice part.”  
“Pity. Anyway, I have that lab report you are so desperately awaiting.”  
“That puts me in a slight dilemma... but I'll be there in a bit.”  
“If you're sure.”

>>>

Nick sits in his car unsure of what to do. He has pulled up on the curb somewhere on the way and eyes the small bottle of cough potion critically. Rosalee has said he should take it at home but honestly it cannot be that bad, can it?  
In the end the decision is simple: He needs to take care of that cough, if there shall be any chance of functioning normally at work, he _really_ wants to read that lab report and hey, he is a Grimm. They are known for their resilience, aren't they?

He chugs down half of the bottle's content just as Rosalee has told him to and then continues on to precinct.

>>>

It's been 15 minutes since he has taken the stuff and he's already feeling its effect: He feels flushed, is coughing constantly (definitely a downside) but happy to note that phlegm seems to loosen in his lungs.  
That's good, isn't it?  
It would have been, if it hadn't been for his vision getting blurry and that oh so loose cough turn into something that feels more like suffocating than anything else!

_Oh fuck! Maybe I should have listened to others for once in my life. To Hank for example when he told me to go home in the morning... or to Rosalee... or even to Wu. Oh, well. Too late now._

_What to do now?_

He won't make it to precinct, that much is certain. A new coughing fit stops his brain in his tracks and it actually takes a while for him to get it kicked back into gear.  
_Renard... I'm near the Captain's, am I not?_  
Nick may be one thick headed Grimm but even he has enough common sense to notice that he needs help. He just needs a place to stay until this cough potion from hell has done its work... as embarrassing as that may be.  
Sluggishly he makes his way to the other man's house. At least he knows that Renard is home for he has left precinct about two hours ago and stated that he would be headed there.

>>>

When the door bell rings the Prince of Portland looks up from his book. He is spending a rare evening of leisure and slightly disgruntled at the disturbance.

_Who might that be?_

He is weathered in politics, prepared for almost any way someone may attempt to end his life and yet he doesn't expect what greets him upon opening his front door.  
It is Nick Burckhardt, resident Grimm and trouble magnet extra-ordinare.  
Any thoughts of annoyance fly right out of the window, though, when he takes in his Detective's appearance and demeanour. He hasn't seen much of him at work today so this takes him by surprise:

Nick's cheeks are flushed while the rest of him is unnaturally pale but that isn't the most disturbing about the whole scene before him.  
“He... hello... Cap...tain. Sorry to...”  
This is interspersed by whacking bouts of coughing. His Grimm Detective raises a hand in greeting and tries to say something more but manages not at all because of a dangerous sounding coughing fit.  
“Burckhardt....”  
Before he can say anything else the man before him gets even worse, opening and closing his mouth, coughing still and obviously not getting in a single breath! When other, strangely gargling sounds mix in Renard takes a step toward Nick in alarm, only to end up with an arm full of Grimm.  
Nick spits out something finally – thankfully missing him – before fainting on the spot!

>>>

“Urghh.” Slowly Nick comes around lying on something soft. He's under a blanket obviously but other than that knowledge fails him.

What's happened?  
Opening his eyes and immediately noticing none other than Captain Renard in his wider field of vision he sits up as quickly as his body allows.  
_Oh hell... that hurts... and it is embarrassing...._  
He's on a couch. The Captain's couch, if he were to take an educated guess.

  
“Nick. Good to see you returning to the land of living. I was beginning to get a bit worried to be honest.” The zauberbiest looks surprisingly relaxed, wearing a dark sweater and jeans instead of his usual attire of suit and tie. There's even a book resting lightly in his lap, long elegant finger still holding the page. Other than that Nick notices that his superior looks remarkably okay with him being here when he could have had a quiet evening instead.

The sickly Grimm groans lowly, rubs at his tired eyes and inwardly curses himself for needing that time no matter how much he wants to be alert and awake when facing his Captain after... well after what exactly?  
“Umm. What happened, Sir? How did I end up... on your couch?”  
He reddens in embarrassment. Renard regards him calmly before a tiny smirk tugs on his lips.  
“You nearly suffocated upon coughing up a giant ball of slime and then you passed out.”  
Nick looks somewhere between horrified and disbelieving.  
“I didn't, did I?”  
“Yes. You did.”  
While Nick becomes a bit less groggy but no less horrified Renard watches him contemplatively.  
“Did you by any chance take some cough remedy... of the wesen kind, maybe?”  
“Umm, yes. How did you know?”  
“Just drawing some conclusions. Was it prepared by your friend, the fuchsbau?”  
“Errr. Yes?” The Grimm looks at him quizzically.  
“And did she warn you about taking it before intending to drive?”  
Some stern displeasure creeps into that smooth voice making Nick feel like a scolded teenager. He blushes fiercely.  
“I think she might have. It's all been a bit hazy.”  
“And already feeling _hazy_ you thought it prudent to drive, _why_?”  
“Uuh, I had to get around somehow...?”  
Seeing the Grimm rubbing the back of his head ruefully is the tiniest bit adorable but it doesn't stave off an admonishing frown appearing on the zauberbiest's angular features.  
“What about work then? I have a feeling that you've started being ill long before now.”  
“We had a case to crack... still have for that matter.”  
“As much as I admire your work ethics, next time you feel ill, you will stay home. Is that clear, Detective?”  
He isn't sure if he can turn even redder than he already is.  
“Crystal.”  
“Good.” The tall man rises then and returns with a mug of tea.  
“Thanks.” They sit in silence for a while, Nick sipping his tea and contemplating if he should voice the question that's been nagging him from the beginning and Sean waiting for him to finally spill the beans, whatever those may be... as long as that doesn't involve any phlegm.  
“Sooo... is that bound to happen again? The coughing and... stuff, I mean?”  
He looks severely disgusted at the thought.  
“Not normally, no. But you're a Grimm. Who knows how you will react?”  
“Brilliant.”  
Renard chuckles.  
“Don't worry. You seem to have passed the worst.”  
“Oh good. Then I'll just stop... being a nuisance and head home. Thanks for letting me crash on your sofa and for the tea.....” Trailing off unsure he already has risen halfway, when a hand falls firmly onto his shoulder and pushes him right back into the cushions. He looks up from his quest to spot a place where to put the empty mug only to find himself facing 6 ft 4' of towering zauberbiest Prince.

“And what do you think you are doing, Detective?”  
“Umm. I think I've stated what I intent to do?” It comes out as half a question.  
“Think again. You are not driving in that state. And we still don't know, if you will go through a second bout of expelling.”  
“Somehow that sounds gross.”  
Sean has to give it to him, at least Nick has accepted that protest would not be welcomed by his Captain, so he didn't bring the topic of leaving back up again.  
The Royal bastard settles back into his armchair gracefully, confidant that Nick will stay put on the couch. That leaves only one thing:

“Before you get your hopes up, you will not return to work tomorrow or the day after. You are on sick leave.”  
“But I swallowed the stuff?!”  
“Yes, you did. And it nearly put you out of your misery. So be warned, if you come back to work and I don't deem you fit enough I am not above sending you home again. So think carefully if an extra trip to and from work is worth coming back before you are well enough.”  
“Somehow I have feared that.”  
“Then we understand each other.”  
Nick pouts although he tries to hide the fact while Renard smirks loftily, not hiding the fact at all. It grates on the Grimm's nerves and pride slightly, but he's too grateful for Renard being there when he passed out slime balling to make a thing of it.

“Okay. Just tell me when I become too much of a bother and I'll get out of your hair.”  
It is obvious that his Detective is embarrassed at disrupting Sean's free evening.  
“Be a quiet little Grimm... or better yet a sleeping one and we will manage just fine.”

Nick knows Renard long enough to know that this was more a veiled command for him to get rest than a dig at him being unwelcome, so with a sigh he stretches out on the couch again and closes his eyes to get a wink of sleep as per his Captain's orders.

He isn't aware of the Prince's watchful gaze resting on his still form for a very long time, nor does he see a fond smile ghosting over his features before he refocuses his attention on his book.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Ich seem to have a thing for Nick sleeping on any couch that happened to be available while Renard reads a book... curious.


End file.
